With ntpd, the kernel backward step is used by default. With ntpd versions before 4.2.6, or 4.2.6 and later patched for this bug, the -x option (added to /etc/sysconfig/ntpd) can be used to disable the kernel leap second correction and ignore the leap second as far as the local clock is concerned. The one-second error gained after the leap second will be measured and corrected later by slewing in normal operation using NTP servers which already corrected their local clocks.